The internet has made communication easier, but it has also created new ways for people to threaten, harass, blackmail, impersonate or damage the reputation of others.
If someone is using Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, a blog or another online platform to threaten you, demand money from you, publish harmful false allegations about you or expose your private information, you should not assume that you have no legal remedy.
Nigeria has laws and
institutions through which victims can seek protection, investigation and, where appropriate, compensation or other legal remedies.
1. Understand What Has Happened
The first step is to identify the conduct involved.
Online abuse may include:
- Blackmail or extortion
- Threats of violence
- Cyberstalking or online harassment
- Impersonation
- Publication of false and damaging allegations
- Publication of private or sensitive information
- Threats to expose private photographs, videos or information
- Fraudulent online accounts
- Repeated threatening messages
- Attempts to damage someone's professional or personal reputation
Not every unpleasant comment is automatically a criminal offence or defamation. The exact facts, wording, intention and circumstances matter.
Under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act as amended in 2024, certain online communications involving threats, harassment, extortion and threats to a person's reputation can constitute offences.
2. Do Not Delete the Evidence
This is one of the most important steps.
Before blocking the person or reporting the account, preserve as much evidence as possible.
Keep:
- Screenshots of the posts or messages
- Screen recordings where useful
- The person's username and profile URL
- The date and time of each publication or message
- Links to the posts
- WhatsApp conversations
- Emails
- Voice notes
- Photographs or videos
- Phone numbers and account details
- Evidence of money demanded or transferred
- Names of people who witnessed the publication
- Evidence showing how the publication affected your reputation or work
Do not edit the original screenshots in a way that removes important information.
Where possible, preserve the original electronic material and keep copies in more than one secure location.
3. Do Not Pay a Blackmailer Simply Because They Threaten You
If someone is demanding money or another benefit while threatening to expose information, photographs, videos or allegations about you, avoid negotiating recklessly or sending money without obtaining proper advice.
Paying once does not necessarily mean the person will stop. They may demand more.
If you are in immediate danger, prioritise your physical safety and contact the appropriate law-enforcement authorities.
4. Report the Account or Content to the Platform
You can report the offending material directly to the platform involved.
For example, depending on the situation, you may report:
- Harassment or bullying
- Threats
- Impersonation
- Non-consensual intimate material
- Fraud
- Defamatory or abusive content
- Privacy violations
However, do not rely solely on the platform report if the conduct may amount to a crime. Preserve your evidence before the content disappears.
5. Report Cybercrime to the Nigeria Police Force
For conduct that may constitute a cybercrime, you can make a complaint to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC).
The NPF-NCCC provides an electronic reporting portal for cybercrime complaints and indicates that reports can include supporting evidence such as screenshots and other relevant records.
"NPF-NCCC Cybercrime e-Reporting Portal" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/1)
When making a complaint, provide a clear chronology:
What happened → when it happened → who was involved → what platform was used → what was said/done → what evidence you have → whether money or another demand was made → how the conduct affected you.
6. Understand the Difference Between Blackmail and Defamation
These are not necessarily the same thing.
Blackmail/Extortion
This generally involves using threats or other unlawful pressure to obtain money, property or something of value.
The Cybercrimes Act 2024 amendment specifically addresses certain electronic threats involving extortion, including threats concerning a person's reputation.
Defamation
Defamation generally concerns the publication of material that unlawfully damages another person's reputation.
Nigerian law recognises defamatory matter as material capable of injuring a person's reputation by exposing the person to hatred, contempt or ridicule, or damaging the person's profession or trade.
Online publications can therefore raise potential defamation issues, but whether a particular statement is legally defamatory depends on the circumstances and applicable law.
7. Speak to a Nigerian Lawyer
If the allegation is serious—particularly where it affects your employment, business, marriage, professional reputation or personal safety—it is advisable to speak with a Nigerian lawyer.
A lawyer can examine the evidence and determine whether you may have grounds for:
- A demand or cease-and-desist letter
- A civil defamation claim
- An application for an injunction or other court order
- A claim for damages
- A criminal complaint
- Other appropriate legal proceedings
Do not assume that every case should be handled through the police. Defamation may involve civil proceedings, while blackmail, threats or other cyber offences may involve criminal investigation. In some cases, both civil and criminal remedies may be relevant.
8. Consider Your Data-Protection Rights
If someone or an organisation has unlawfully processed, disclosed or exposed your personal information, data-protection law may also become relevant.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 provides data-subject rights and allows an aggrieved data subject to lodge a complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in appropriate circumstances.
The NDPC also provides mechanisms for privacy complaints and lists rights including rectification, objection, restriction and erasure in applicable circumstances.
"Nigeria Data Protection Commission" (https://reference-url-citation.invalid/6)
However, data-protection remedies are not a replacement for reporting a criminal threat or blackmail to law enforcement.
9. Keep a Complete Case File
Create one folder containing:
A. Evidence
Screenshots, recordings, links, messages and downloaded files.
B. Timeline
Write down exactly what happened and when.
C. Identity information
Record usernames, profile links, phone numbers and other information that may help identify the person.
D. Financial evidence
Keep bank transfers, payment receipts or demands where money was requested or paid.
E. Reports
Keep copies of reports made to social-media platforms, the police and other authorities.
F. Legal documents
Keep letters from your lawyer, police statements, petitions and court documents.
A well-organised evidence file can make it easier for your lawyer or investigators to understand the case.
10. Do Not Retaliate With Your Own Threats
If someone defames or threatens you online, avoid responding with threats, insults or the publication of their private information.
Your response should be measured.
Instead of escalating the argument online, preserve the evidence and use the appropriate legal and platform-reporting channels.
11. What Justice May Look Like
Depending on the facts and the legal route taken, a victim may seek different forms of relief, which can include:
- Investigation of an alleged offence
- Identification of an anonymous perpetrator through lawful investigative processes
- Removal of offending content
- An undertaking to stop further publication
- Court orders restraining further publication
- Correction or retraction
- Compensation or damages where legally available
- Criminal prosecution where an offence has been established
The available remedy depends on the facts, evidence and applicable Nigerian law.
Conclusion
Being attacked, blackmailed or falsely accused online can be extremely stressful, but the internet does not place a person beyond the reach of the law.
The most important things are to stay calm, preserve the evidence, avoid paying or retaliating recklessly, report serious cybercrime to the appropriate authorities, and obtain legal advice where necessary.
If the matter involves immediate threats to life or physical safety, seek urgent assistance from law-enforcement authorities rather than attempting to handle the situation alone.
Important: This article is provided for general information and public education. It is not a substitute for legal advice from a qualified Nigerian legal practitioner. Laws and procedures may differ depending on the facts and jurisdiction, and readers should obtain professional legal advice for their individual circumstances.
Cycler Gist
Stories • Information • Perspectives
